YOUR OPINION

Letters to the editor-Dec.1

Published: Tuesday, December 1, 2009 at 6:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Monday, November 30, 2009 at 10:58 p.m.

Thanks for the cheer

Before the naysayers get started, let me say "thank you" to the city of Ocala for providing a festive environment for its citizens to enjoy the holidays.

Times are tough, for sure. And while there are those who would like to "bah humbug" everything the city does, I personally appreciate the holiday lights. In these tough economic times, many people struggle to provide even the simplest of holiday joys. Thankfully, the city has continued the long-standing tradition of providing festivities on the square throughout the holidays.

This is a place where families can make memories together, visiting with Santa, taking a hayride and, this year, even enjoying a spectacular tree. These are the things that make Ocala a great place to live.

A few might express their negative opinions about the downtown lights and Light up Ocala, but the thousands of people who attend the event and follow-up activities clearly appreciate them, as they come back year after year. And the cost for this blessing? Probably a couple dollars per household.

Thanks, Ocala, for understanding that those few naysayers do not speak for the majority. We love the lights. Thank you for continuing the tradition.

Alice Constant

Ocala

Enamored with Johnny

I just don't get it. My ancestors didn't come to the United States from southern Ireland till well after the American Civil War, so I don't understand the Civil War fervor here in Marion County. If Marion County's elected and influential people are so enamored with the Civil War, why don't they just locate the Johnny Reb memorial in front of the Marion County government buildings, and it would complement the Confederate States Of America flag that is flown next to the United States of America flag.

Tom Mullen

Ocala

Public option needed

Having lived in Canada for seven years where - from the moment we arrived - we had excellent health care coverage, I'm extremely proud that the House passed health care reform legislation that includes a strong public option. The Senate currently is debating a reform bill that also includes a public option.

We've all worked very hard to get to this point. I would like to give my sincere thanks to all representatives who have stood up for their constituents and against tremendous pressure from insurance industry lobbyists in supporting these reform bills.

I encourage representatives who have not supported these bills to reconsider for future votes.

I, and many others, will continue to monitor this process closely and do everything in our power to see that health care reform that includes a strong public option becomes law in the United States.

Barbara Jean Beckford

Gainesville

A proud vet

The Veterans Day events at the Ocala-Marion County Veterans Park was a banner day. What a great celebration! And how appropriate that the cheering was coming from hundreds of our schoolchildren. Kudos to Superintendent Jim Yancey and his folks, especially Suzanne McGuire and Kevin Christian. The students made this military veteran proud to have served.

Henry Lamar Hunt

Chaplain, U.S. Army (ret.)

Candler

A bad option

In the letter "The public option" (Nov. 22), the gentleman seems convinced that the objection to the public option is only a Republican one, when, in fact, this objection is shared by 86 percent of all Americans, according to some polls. The government plan is not a partisan issue, because it affects the lives of all Americans, regardless of party affiliation.

The government's health care bill has no basis in the U.S. Constitution. The federal government is not empowered to mandate the purchase of any product, including health insurance. The purpose of our Constitution is to protect us from such practices by the government against the people.

The real meaning of the term "public option" is that the government will offer a health care plan that competes with private insurers. They will do this by undercutting the premium rates of the companies, and since the companies need profits in order to survive and the government does not, they eventually will be driven out of the health insurance business to leave only the government as sole provider of health care in America - the "single-payer" system that President Obama has said he favors. The public option would, over time, become the only option for Americans, financed mostly by taxes we simply cannot afford.

The so-called public option, therefore, is a form of socialism, since it will finally take health care out of the free-market system and place it in the control of a government that has already shown it cannot run a public program such as Medicare, which is rife with inefficiencies, fraud and corruption.

Linda Miller

Ocala

Pulling together

What a tragedy this community has suffered with the loss of the mother and her four precious boys in the house fire on Nov. 21. I am proud that this community is pulling together to help this family in their time of grief.

I have donated the urn for the mother, Tabatha, and got Andrea of Bogati Urn Co. in Sarasota to donate four matching urns for the boys. Woods Printing in Ocala is donating their time and the plaques for the urns, and Skin Deep Tattoo & Cafe in Silver Springs is donating a memorial tattoo for surviving family member Aron Chase. A trust fund is set up at any SunTrust Bank under the name of Aron's Angels.

See what a wonderful community we have? Ocala shines once more for one of their own families. It makes me proud to live here.

<p><b>Thanks for the cheer</b></p><p>Before the naysayers get started, let me say "thank you" to the city of Ocala for providing a festive environment for its citizens to enjoy the holidays.</p><p>Times are tough, for sure. And while there are those who would like to "bah humbug" everything the city does, I personally appreciate the holiday lights. In these tough economic times, many people struggle to provide even the simplest of holiday joys. Thankfully, the city has continued the long-standing tradition of providing festivities on the square throughout the holidays.</p><p>This is a place where families can make memories together, visiting with Santa, taking a hayride and, this year, even enjoying a spectacular tree. These are the things that make Ocala a great place to live.</p><p>A few might express their negative opinions about the downtown lights and Light up Ocala, but the thousands of people who attend the event and follow-up activities clearly appreciate them, as they come back year after year. And the cost for this blessing? Probably a couple dollars per household.</p><p>Thanks, Ocala, for understanding that those few naysayers do not speak for the majority. We love the lights. Thank you for continuing the tradition.</p><p><i>Alice Constant</p><p>Ocala</i></p><p><b>Enamored with Johnny</b></p><p>I just don't get it. My ancestors didn't come to the United States from southern Ireland till well after the American Civil War, so I don't understand the Civil War fervor here in Marion County. If Marion County's elected and influential people are so enamored with the Civil War, why don't they just locate the Johnny Reb memorial in front of the Marion County government buildings, and it would complement the Confederate States Of America flag that is flown next to the United States of America flag.</p><p><i>Tom Mullen</p><p>Ocala</i></p><p><b>Public option needed</b></p><p>Having lived in Canada for seven years where - from the moment we arrived - we had excellent health care coverage, I'm extremely proud that the House passed health care reform legislation that includes a strong public option. The Senate currently is debating a reform bill that also includes a public option.</p><p>We've all worked very hard to get to this point. I would like to give my sincere thanks to all representatives who have stood up for their constituents and against tremendous pressure from insurance industry lobbyists in supporting these reform bills.</p><p>I encourage representatives who have not supported these bills to reconsider for future votes.</p><p>I, and many others, will continue to monitor this process closely and do everything in our power to see that health care reform that includes a strong public option becomes law in the United States.</p><p><i>Barbara Jean Beckford</p><p>Gainesville</i></p><p><b>A proud vet</b></p><p>The Veterans Day events at the Ocala-Marion County Veterans Park was a banner day. What a great celebration! And how appropriate that the cheering was coming from hundreds of our schoolchildren. Kudos to Superintendent Jim Yancey and his folks, especially Suzanne McGuire and Kevin Christian. The students made this military veteran proud to have served.</p><p><i>Henry Lamar Hunt</p><p>Chaplain, U.S. Army (ret.)</p><p>Candler</i></p><p><b>A bad option</b></p><p>In the letter "The public option" (Nov. 22), the gentleman seems convinced that the objection to the public option is only a Republican one, when, in fact, this objection is shared by 86 percent of all Americans, according to some polls. The government plan is not a partisan issue, because it affects the lives of all Americans, regardless of party affiliation.</p><p>The government's health care bill has no basis in the U.S. Constitution. The federal government is not empowered to mandate the purchase of any product, including health insurance. The purpose of our Constitution is to protect us from such practices by the government against the people.</p><p>The real meaning of the term "public option" is that the government will offer a health care plan that competes with private insurers. They will do this by undercutting the premium rates of the companies, and since the companies need profits in order to survive and the government does not, they eventually will be driven out of the health insurance business to leave only the government as sole provider of health care in America - the "single-payer" system that President Obama has said he favors. The public option would, over time, become the only option for Americans, financed mostly by taxes we simply cannot afford.</p><p>The so-called public option, therefore, is a form of socialism, since it will finally take health care out of the free-market system and place it in the control of a government that has already shown it cannot run a public program such as Medicare, which is rife with inefficiencies, fraud and corruption.</p><p><i>Linda Miller</p><p>Ocala</i></p><p><b>Pulling together</b></p><p>What a tragedy this community has suffered with the loss of the mother and her four precious boys in the house fire on Nov. 21. I am proud that this community is pulling together to help this family in their time of grief.</p><p>I have donated the urn for the mother, Tabatha, and got Andrea of Bogati Urn Co. in Sarasota to donate four matching urns for the boys. Woods Printing in Ocala is donating their time and the plaques for the urns, and Skin Deep Tattoo &amp; Cafe in Silver Springs is donating a memorial tattoo for surviving family member Aron Chase. A trust fund is set up at any SunTrust Bank under the name of Aron's Angels.</p><p>See what a wonderful community we have? Ocala shines once more for one of their own families. It makes me proud to live here.</p><p>My continued thoughts, prayers and support remains with this family.</p><p><i>Leilah Ash-Ward</p><p>Silver Springs</i></p>